天台菩薩戒疏 2.33

2.33

Twenty-seventh, the precept against accepting private invitations. The Buddha-nature is equal, the saṃgha values harmony and unity, and material benefits are impartial, blending like milk and water. Now, accepting private invitations causes offerings to be unequal: oneself incurs the offense of misappropriation, and the donor loses the merit of impartiality, so that both are harmed; hence the noble one instituted [this precept]. Thus the Yinggongxing jing says: 'Those who accept private invitations are certain to lose the four fruits; for seven kalpas they will not see a Buddha; five hundred great ghosts will block their way ahead, and five hundred great ghosts will follow behind them.' Because within the Saṃgha Jewel, there are Buddhas transformed into monks, monks of the four fruits of the Path, bodhisattva monks, monks of the seven worthy stages, and ordinary monks. Desiring that donors of the four quarters obtain such [merit], this was instituted: one must not accept private invitations. It has four specific conditions: (1) oneself being in the assembly, (2) a donor offering a private invitation, (3) accepting it, and (4) taking the goods; then it is violated. In the text there are two parts: first, it explains the reason one should not do so; next, from 'used for oneself' below, it points out the fault and concludes the offense. First, 'belonging to the ten directions' means the present saṃgha. As for 'the eight fields of merit': the noble persons are the four fruits and the like, and also teachers are included within the Saṃgha Jewel. Although the saṃgha is one among the eight, its meaning encompasses many kinds of persons, and the Buddha also shows himself to be within the saṃgha, hence it says 'the Buddhas.' The saṃgha, parents, and sick monks of the ten directions all share in having a portion of goods, which does not go beyond the Dharma and bridges. As for 'and the three fields of merit': the property of the saṃgha of the ten directions does not encompass those, but extends only to five, hence it says 'and among the eight fields of merit,' down to 'the goods of parents and sick persons.' In the second part, concluding the offense: the people of the ten directions are numerous, and there is also no intention to steal, so it is an offense of minor defilement only.